proscribe

To proscribe is to make something illegal, or to forbid something to be done, or to banish someone for wrongdoing.

(verb)

  1. When the legislature passes a law banning the use of marijuana, this is an example of a time when it proscribes the use of marijuana.
  2. When a religion forbids a specific practice by its believers, this is an example of a proscribe by the religion.

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See proscribe in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb proscribed, proscribing

  1. in ancient Rome, to publish the name of (a person) condemned to death, banishment, etc.
  2. to deprive of the protection of the law; outlaw
  3. to banish; exile
  4. to denounce or forbid the practice, use, etc. of; interdict

Origin: ME proscriben < L proscribere < pro-, pro- + scribere, to write: see scribe

Related Forms:

See proscribe in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb pro·scribed, pro·scrib·ing, pro·scribes
  1. To denounce or condemn.
  2. To prohibit; forbid. See Synonyms at forbid.
  3. a. To banish or outlaw (a person).
    b. To publish the name of (a person) as outlawed.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English proscriben

Origin: , from Latin prōscrībere, to put up someone's name as outlawed

Origin: : prō-, in front; see pro-1

Origin: + scrībere, to write; see skrībh- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • pro·scribˈer noun

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